THE CHICKADEE 59 
quence and crushed to death by more fortunate 
members of the brood. Nor was their physical con- 
dition the only surprising thing about the members 
of this Chickadee family: each individual was as 
clean as though he had been reared in a nest alone, 
and an examination of the nest showed that it would 
have been passed as perfect by the most scrupulous 
sanitary inspector. It was composed of firmly pad- 
ded rabbit’s fur, and, except for the sheaths worn 
30. A Chickadee family. 
off the growing feathers of the young birds, was 
absolutely clean. Later, I observed that the excreta 
of the young were inclosed in membranous sacs, 
which enabled the parents to readily remove them 
from the nest. 
The last bird having been placed in the net, I at- 
tempted to pose them in a row on the perch before 
their door. The task reminded me of almost forgot- 
